OAU students protest semester exams amid strike

The students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, on
Thursday evening gathered in their numbers to protest against the semester
examinations for 2017/2018 academic session.

According to the university time table, students are
expected to start examinations on Monday, January 14, despite the strike of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has denied the students of
being properly taught.

The ASUU in the school had warned the institution against
conducting examinations when 70 per cent of the courses have not been taught.

Lecturers of the university are divided over the strike as
those of them in the parallel Congress of Universities Academics (CONUA)
refused to join in the nationwide strike of ASUU, which began on November 4.

The management of OAU is also bent on institutionalising a
stable academic calendar, despite the fact that students in some departments
like Chemical Engineering and Botany have not been receiving lectures for the
past two months.

However, the students of the institution, after a public
meeting organised by the Students’ Union Committee, resolved to embark on a
peaceful protest against what they tagged, ‘stubborn and inconsiderate’
authority.

The students marched from one hall of residence to another.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES during the protest, a student
who spoke under the condition of anonymity to avoid victimisation said, “I am
in my final year at Electrical and Electronic Department and we did not have
the minimum of 12 weeks teaching and one compulsory lecture free week before we
can proceed to examination as provided in the university regulations. The
management should not in the name of stable calendar jeopardize the lives of
students”.

Another student said, “Some department have fixed lectures
for Saturday and Sunday. Yet, students are expected to be in the examination
hall on Monday. We are protesting not because we are lazy but because we are
concerned students. The university should stop legalising illegality.”

“We have not taken 70 per cent of lectures, as ASUU began
strike in the 5th week”.

Citing the English Department as example, a 100 level
student who did not want his name on print wondered how examination will hold
for courses they were not taught for once.

“There are about seven or eight lecturers taking EGL102 and
five of these lecturers are members of ASUU. Among these five is the coordinator
of the course so who will set question. In fact two literature courses
examination have been cancelled for those in 300 level.”

Rather than address the issues raised by the students and
ASUU, the university management, in a statement signed by its Registrar,
Margaret Omasule, warned the students against boycotting or engaging in any
action that may disrupt the examination and stable academic calendar agenda.

In the meantime, the National Assembly office of a senator,
Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central) in Abuja, was burgled on Thursday, with
some items carted away.

Mrs Tinubu’s husband, Bola Tinubu, is a leader of the ruling
All Progressive Congress, Bola Tinubu.

A statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES by her
legislative aide, Nifemi Aje, said the incident was discovered on Wednesday as
her staff resumed work.

“It was discovered that the unknown burglars quietly
tampered with the inner office through which they accessed the office.

“The CCTV was demobilised.

“Items removed included an HP laptop computer, Smile
internet device, machine box attached to CCTV HP screen and some copies of Laws
of the Federation,” the statement read.

The aide said ‘traces of footsteps’ were discovered on the
office rug and the wall cabinet was left disorganised.

Although the perpetrators of the burglary or thier sponsors
are unknown, Mr Aje said a report of the incident has already been lodged at
the police post at the National Assembly who assured that investigation has
commenced into the matter.

“We are, however, waiting for the outcome of police investigation into the matter,” the official said.

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